This will be a major update and is expected to bring about 30 hours worth of content to the game. Bandai Namco are also currently taking requests from fans on what kind of new things they’d like to see in the update come July.

The above is a look at the artwork of a new boss monsters that will be added in the update. Not much else is known about this beast, but it’s safe to say that it’ll probably be one tough fight for Kirito and the gang.

As previously reported, the update will be rising the level cap to 250 (from 200) and will be adding new quests and areas.

The picture above is a look at the concept art for a new garden area, where you’ll be able to go on dates with Sachi and enjoy conversations as part of her new event scenes that will be added to the update.

The heroines of Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment will also be getting numerous alternate costumes that can be unlocked by meeting certain conditions, and it looks like the update will also be giving Philia a whole new set of clothing.

Bandai Namco will be revealing more additional costumes for the other heroines in the near future.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment is currently available in Japan, and will be released this summer in North America for PlayStation Vita.

New waifu characters, surely? But I really do hope they lead up to the second season and maybe have a game area that emulates the new game. But then again, they can just make a sequel game instead.

wererat42

Why add so many waifus when Klein is the only bro you need?

Xerain

Honestly, there’s somethgin to it. In the newly released official translation of the Light Novel. Kirito always get hung up describing Klein’s facial features in the greatest detail. Klein speaks to Asuna as if he’s giving Kirito to her, etc.

MrTyrant

They could add more bros…

MyBodyIsReady

You gotta pick up the pace guys Gematsu were on this yesterday ;)

Loli Summoner

I will most likely get this game (My vita has like…barely any games) tho I never watched SAO before…

natchu96

Well if you ever consider watching it you better start before season 2 airs this summer.

Disclaimer though. This is actually a light novel series. You are better off reading it instead.

God

If you only want context enough for this game, stop around chapter 15, the second arc sucks, it sucks so much it’s physically painful for me to hear it’s name.

Firion Hope

That’s quite a lot

David García Abril

This game never ceases to impress me!

It looks like it’s going to be the most crafted anime video game since “Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2″.

http://hanzoadam.tumblr.com/ Hanzoadam

I’m really looking forward to get my copy

Impressionnant

This is a free update, correct? That’s cool.

CDM

The boss monster screams “Monster Hunter” to me. The crown and the color scheme reminds me of the Jade Barroth.

Hexodious

I always hated SAO for it’s overhyped praise that it doesn’t deserve (anime wise) and poor execution of an anime that could be much more.

But then again, this game makes up for that failure of that poor excuse of an anime, in my honest opinion. I’ll buy a new memory card just for this game.

MrTyrant

It’s like we are kindred spirits :P because I think exactly the same as you. Even so I will watch the new season because Im curious of it while keeping my expectations low.

pimpalicious

I’ve heard a lot of bad things about the show myself and was going to avoid it. The game might be interesting though so I do plan to check the anime out now, just so I know who these characters are and the main plot.

planetofthemage

Just stop after episode 15 or so.

pimpalicious

Nah if I get that far in a series I go ahead and finish it and will sit through the crap at that point. :P

God

Don’t, just don’t do it, if you want to check all of the characters and understand the main plot, you are gonna have to read the light novels anyways, and that’s all of them. If you are not gonna do that, and are just gonna watch the anime, just stop after the Aincard arc, Fairy Dance really, really sucks.

DyLaN

To be fair, I still think the anime adaptation is too soon since Aincrad arc was concluded in a single volume and being fleshed out by various SS. That not to mention Fairy Dance is generally regarded as a lowest point of the series.

And to be frank, overhyping is inevitable whenever there a work that have mass appeal and existing fan base is adapted into an anime. The only thing one can do is to adjust their expectation so that they won’t be dissapointed if it isn’t what they want.

Zakai

Nothing for europe… Hate when they don’t give information… Some games get release in EU and not US and vice versa. It’s just so irritating how much they are not organized and don’t communicate…

David García Abril

It’s not a matter of not being organized and uncommunicated.

It’s a matter of being two completely different markets with two completely different needs and two completely different sets of laws and fees to jump around.

Zakai

I’ll agreed if it was also true 10 years ago. How do you explain that games like suikoden and valkyrie profile managed to be release in UE and USA 10 years ago. The set of laws are easier nowadays with UE. Just feel like they are depressed and lack of confidence about to release their product everywhere.

God

You… don’t know much about law, do you? And when someone presents multiple arguments against you, you usually answer them all, not only one.

MrTyrant

Are they going to add more girls? because I like that instead of just new events. Anyway this is a cool update and love how devs would do something like this unlike others who re-release their games with added content or wait to do an enhanced port for another platform.

natchu96

I think people are already complaining how harem-y the series is, and we’re already throwing in an original character for this game, the one from the last game, and two more existing characters who shouldn’t exist here and are out of canon. Do we really need more?

It’s technically part of the appeal, and I don’t really mind it turning into a semi dating simulator to some degree (just to have something else to do) but there comes a point where it’s too much XD

MrTyrant

I like dating simulation in my games. The harem stuff is horrible in stories where you already have only one love interest and the narrative keep adding girls just how to show how pimp the main character is and none of them have any hope. Talking about the anime of course.
Nothing wrong with an “if story” in games where you can choose freely since this one I think is not a direct adaptation or don’t pretend to be.

natchu96

On one hand it’s an if story.

On the other hand, it branches off immediately at the end of the first arc (well a few minutes before I guess), where a certain dedicated relationship had already existed.

MrTyrant

And what? you are the pimp not Kirito you can control him and make him an homo if you want to D:

natchu96

I was just initially saying that we don’t really need more girls.

I like dating simulation too, but if we’re gonna through the initial canonical relationships out the window for other . . . potential outcomes, then we might as well be using this chance to flesh out existing people.

I’m actually more of a Sinon person, so I really don’t mind the feature existing. But it does bother me what it means for Asuna, and we definitely do not need moar gurls.

God

3 character out of canon actually, Sachi, Sinon and Kirito’s Cousin whose name i always forget.

natchu96

. . . wait, she’s in this?

Okay when they said the game glitched out somehow I didn’t expect it to glitch out THAT badly . . .

God

Did you even read the article? Anyways, shit happens.

natchu96

Was in a hurry and skimmed it. My phone’s tendency to periodically crash does not help.

I’m surprised a glitch in anything this complex could produce a coherent and tangible result.

God

It’s understandable, my phone’s internet connection also sucks… And about the glitch, as i said, shit happens.

http://twitter.com/#!/kaishou Kaishou

*sigh* and here I am waiting for a Europe release.

Jimmie Rustles

isnt it possible to get this on an american ps vita account?

http://youtube.com/miyabigaming 禍津水樹 (MagatsuMizuki)

Digital games are locked to the account they’re purchased from since the Vita doesn’t support multiple accounts

Jimmie Rustles

So it should still work? I’m asking because I would get a vita for this and a couple other games. I mean buying us gift cards with euro shouldnt be a problem.

http://youtube.com/miyabigaming 禍津水樹 (MagatsuMizuki)

It’ll work if you just want to use that memory card for the US PSN store but if you want to play a digital game for the EU it won’t work

Digital content and dlc are account locked

Jimmie Rustles

Alright, thanks

http://youtube.com/miyabigaming 禍津水樹 (MagatsuMizuki)

Np, gl

God

It works if you have a PS3, as long as the accounts are connected, you only have to download it on your foreign account on your PS3 and then transfer the game to your local account on the PS Vita.

http://youtube.com/miyabigaming 禍津水樹 (MagatsuMizuki)

Oh nice

http://twitter.com/#!/kaishou Kaishou

Pretty much what ShinAsura said. In my case I rather have all my vita games under one account. It’s long enough switching memory card and resetting the console setting to access another region account and back forth. If Sony implemented multi-account then I wouldn’t really have to complain.

lackofstyle

God I’m start to feel like spongebob right now

“I don’t want it. I don’t want it”

But for real, have no interest in sword art online at this point but this game looks so good.

Kornelious

Wow! New bosses, More areas, and more costumes and events for waifu’s!
The game just came out and they already have a free expansion planned for it, awesome! I just hope when we get the game we will already have the update and not have to wait a month……

Freud_Hater

…So will the US version of the game be able to have access to this 30+ hours of added gameplay through the update? That would be neat…

God

Why the hell not?

Freud_Hater

I dunno, game developers sometimes make the strangest decisions…

http://danierc-polloconpapas.tumblr.com/ Eduardo Rocha

Really looking forward to this :3

No No

The 30 extra hours are two bosses that take 15 hours each to beat

raeldor

Yeah, but unlike a real MMO at least you can pause it and take a break, lol. :D

tubers

Yup.. a bit more awesome with the VITA’s freeze/stand-by state.

Learii

hm I wonder who should I date with XD

Yan Zhao

More time to spend with your waifus~!

http://www.animetoshokan.org/ MikuruX

Got a question, what is all translated in the SEA version of SAO: Hollow Fragments? I’m trying to find out if it’s worthed buying now or waiting for the US version (although I hate digital only releases).

Ric Vazquez

Hype

VWinds

(Whoops. Wrong topic.)

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